Dan Bolar, CPA

Bio

Dan has more than 30 years of experience working with high net worth individuals and their related entities – closely held corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, family trusts, charitable trusts, and private foundations. His clients include some of the most influential individuals and families in Orange County. Dan has a depth of experience in taxation, financial planning, business structuring, and transactional consultation.

Prior to Armanino, Dan was a tax partner with the Orange County office of Deloitte, where he was one of the firm's leading experts in the taxation of individuals, real estate transactions, partnerships, and passive activities. He also served on Deloitte's select National Real Estate Advisory Committee. He has co-authored three books on taxation (along with Mike Jennings): Passive Activity Loss Rules-Analysis, Compliance and Planning; Federal Income Taxation of Passive Activities; and Partnership Federal and State Income Tax Reporting.

Dan has a Masters in Business Taxation from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from California State University at Long Beach.

He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the California Society of Certified Public Accountants. He is currently Chairman of the Board of the Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana, California.

Q&A

I was always interested in business and started out in college studying business administration. I happened upon a couple of accounting courses and found them to be frightfully easy. I was like a duck in water and accounting just “made sense” to me.

I’d like to see the SALT deduction return. It’s unfair to punish people based on geography and it’s just poor tax policy. I’d also like to bring back all the business deductions that were reduced or ended. Entertaining and meals is a part of doing business, and removing those deductions is not natural.

It would have to be a client I’ve worked with for over a dozen years. It’s an individual who owns a quite large business, and we are involved in both the individual and business accounting. This is a person who always asks the right questions and is receptive to advice. The best engagements are ones where we can build mutual trust and partnership.

I want to keep our firm a good place to work – and make sure we are keeping our promises to our people.

I’m very much a team player. I’m confident in my knowledge and abilities, but I always want feedback because it’s always important to hear a new perspective. I like to work closely on both client and firm matters in a collaborative way.

I think my proudest moments were being there when my kids got married. I was proud to be a part of that and see the wonderful choices they made and witness their happiness.

Keith Renken was the managing partner of the Deloitte Orange County office when I started my career. He managed to find time for me and taught me how important it was to get involved in the community (now a big part of my life).

Work hard, do your best, but most importantly – find a mentor or mentors that you trust and seek their help and advice. Get perspective from others.

Dan Bolar, CPA

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